New understanding. . .

It was the noon hour, the phone rang, and the voice on the other end said, “Hello, this is Peter Fonda, I am looking to speak to Lorrie Slaymaker. “  I laughed inside, and hasten to reply with this is “Shirley Temple,” but I held my chuckle silent, and instead I kept my normal identity.  At the time I was working as software specialist in Billings Montana, my specialty was solving anyone and everyone’s software problems.  Obviously Peter Fonda’s first problem was he had a name which would illicit smart remarks, but I decided not to point that out.

Peter Fonda, began the conversation by saying he wanted to bring a script file from the Mac to the IBM platform.  This was in the days before windows, and IBM meant good ole DOS for those that remember that far back.  As a computer specialist yourselves, you would know as I did that a script file on the Mac platform was a programing language.  As I talked with Mr Fonda, about the possibility to bring the script from the Mac to the DOS Environment, I could not imagine why anyone would want to do that.  It made no computer sense.  Even if you brought the script into the DOS environment it could not run on a DOS machine – it was a bit like putting diesel fuel in a gas engine,  it just does not work.  Despite what I was thinking in the background, Mr Fonda was insistent it needed to be done.  He wanted to know if I could do it, or it he needed to send it back to California, where he normally had the transfer work done.

Now I was really puzzled.  California, Peter Fonda, script . . . my mind added in one more factor, “the Peter Fonda’ has a ranch three valleys up on the Boulder River, where Dave and I camp in the summer.  I put Mr Fonda on hold for a minute and added all the evidence together.  When I got back on the phone, I said, “You mean a script file, like in a movie script.  Peter Fonda said, “Yes, what else would I be talking about.”

Often we get absorbed in events, celebrations, grief and our daily experience that we miss the very point we are seeking.  You may not be as slow as I am when it comes to movie scripts and famous names, but when we consider Easter I am not sure any of us is quick  about grasping resurrection.  Easter and resurrection comes to us not from our own expertise, but outside of our selves. We can look to Mary at the empty tomb (John:20-16), who asked the gardener for Jesus body, and the gardener is not a gardener at all but the risen Christ whom Mary suddenly recognizes and calls out “Rabbouni.”  Or Cleopas and friend  from Luke’s Gospel walked several miles with a stranger to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), talking about scripture.  Then once a blessing is given at the evening meal over bread and wine by their stranger guest, they know exactly whom they sup with – the resurrected Christ, who then vanishes from sight.

One thing for sure, when we ‘get it,’  our new understanding brings amazing clarity, in solving technical problems, Hollywood names and even with knowing God,  There is a word, to mark the occasion, ‘anagnorisis,’  Anagnorisis describes the ‘discovery of the true nature of his or her own situation.’   Truly, Easter is a learning experience.
Peace,
Lorrie+

Luke Skywalker meet David

Morning prayer this morning included the familiar story of David and Goliath. (1 Samuel 17).  For a moment when I heard the scripture read, I was the little girl in church listening to the story on “Children’s Sunday” when the minister preached on David and Goliath.  I already knew the story as a child so I day dreamed it more than heard it.  Besides the minister spoke way too  ‘l-o-n -g.’  While he spoke I pictured in my mind the great big picture bible book at home where there was a gruesome picture of David parading with Goliath head.  How gross!  What I really wanted to see was the slingshot in the picture so I could make one just in case of giants.  As you can see the world was still big . . . but there were hints as how one might handle it as one grew up.

Now as I am no  longer a child I heard the story of David and Goliath differently. I heard that the Giant’s head was covered with a helmet of bronze and his breast plate weighed 5,0000 sheckles of bronze.  His spear head weighed 6,000 sheckles of iron and his javelin was bronze too.  David of course had 5 smooth stones from the wadi (river) in his shepherd’s pouch for his sling, and God.  It finally dawned upon me this is was an ancient version of Starwars!  Technology meet human pragmatism and instinct.  Evil meet the good.  Just like Luke Skywalker removed his helmet flying his x-wing jet into the enemy death star depending on the his own eyes and reflexes and the force; so already had David done just that thousands of years before removing Saul’s armor to meet the enemy Goliath, with his sling, smooth stones and his God.

I have to admit child or not, the story from ancient David and Goliath or modern Starwars, stays within me.  Good wins over evil is always a pleasurable tale, but not the full story.   We are reminded in both stories God plays a big factor as well as the heart of the human.  It is those two together, that make the story timeless and important.  The final words prayed at our morning prayer: Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 102) begins tell it all.  Obviously the tale is not over yet.

The Gate

We think of sheep as being rather dull witted, innocent, wooly, and vulnerable because they are dull witted, innocent, wooly and vulnerable.  Not like eagles that sore, or whales that can sing great songs in the depth of the sea, the choppy steps and the bleat of sheep does not inspire us … much.  One wonders why God choose shepherds and sheep to be the mascot of the Bible, and that shepherds such as Moses, and King David, and Jesus were given the duty to watch over the countless sheep, the people.

We may not be impressed with dull witted, innocent, wooly, and vulnerable sheep, but obviously God is impressed with these creatures.  What happens if sheep are not so dim witted as we think?  What happens if these woolies, are really much more remarkable than our prideful lack of awareness gives them credit?

ABC News reported in November 2010, sheep are able to recognize each other and they can recognize human faces.  In fact the sheep brain functions according to neurologist very similar to human brains in visual recognition, memory, and the ability for recall even with years of absence from one another or their handler.  Cutting edge medical research today on memory, Alzheimer disease and the like study “sheep” because their ability and frontal lobe structure is resembles the  human brain; perhaps too close for our sheepish humans comfort.

In John’s Gospel we begin to recognize it is not only the shepherd that knows each sheep by name – the recognition is multifaceted.

Sheep recognize the shepherd too.  Strangers herd sheep by scattering them.  I know from Dave’s and my experience of hiking on trails across Scotland’s country side, herds of sheep cleared the valleys and glens as Dave and I strangers, walked through pastures.  Shepherds on the other hand have the distinction of being recognized by the sheep and sheep tend to follow their leads.  Description of Moses, as shepherd, leading the people gives us a good image to keep in mind from Numbers chapter 27: 13-14, 20:12, 27:16-17,  we get the picture:

Let the Lord, the God of Spirit and flesh, appoint someone … who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like a sheep without a shepherd.

The 23 Psalm today gives us the clarity of the sheep and the shepherd coming together.  The Psalm ties the pastoral scene of green grass, still waters, meals and abundance, experienced by the sheep with protection by a shepherd.  The shepherd’s protection is three fold,  protection from one’s own errors and misjudgment with the shepherds guiding rod and staff; and from the dark depths of the “unknowns,” as in the valley of the shadow of death; and from one’s enemies.  For once the sheep is a good thing to be, thankful, trusting and prepared to follow.   The Psalm reminds us that a bleating and helpless animal is not so bleating or helpless with a shepherd over them.  After all they are being fed in the face of their enemies according to the Psalm, and their cup runneth over.

Yet we can hardly see our complicated world as serine as in the 23rd Psalm.  Certainly sheep’ s brains cease to have human likeness once we move away from visual and memory recognition.  We, not sheep, can grasp a metaphor, of shepherd and sheep.  We can grasp the metaphor as the roles are distinguished in the 23 Psalm, or in the Gospel of John, where sometimes Jesus is the shepherd, as the tradition of Moses and King David leading the people. Sometimes Jesus is the sheep or lamb, as in his sacrificial death upon the cross.

Furthermore we can even grasp that Jesus expands the metaphor changing from shepherd and sheep to the gate keeper,  saying “I am the gate” in our Gospel reading today.  The narrow opening which allows for the ingress and egress for those entering the safety of a sheep fold by night, and leaving by day to encounter the world.  A gate for which Jesus provides the meeting of God above, with the people of the world below.   A way for flood victims to meet people who live and work on high and dry ground;  a way for the hungry to meet those who have food enough; a way for the troubled to become wounded healers; a way to seek bringing our own community into the likes of that described in Acts, “growing in number day to day,” because of fellowship, and breaking bread in Christ’s name.

In essence breaking out of the metaphor we as human beings have recognition not only of our human world but also of God.

The good news is in Christ, who is the shepherd, sheep, and gate, the work has already been done.  By Christ, who leads us we meet with God.  In him, whom is the lamb, we can take solace when we need to take comfort.   With Christ, the gate, we can meet the world without fault.   Certainly in Christ’s lead we are a sheep that does not need to be sheepish.

Amen.

After Easter: Faith?

Thomas who is called the “Twin,” was not present in the upper room when Christ first appeared after the resurrection (John 20:19-31).  The disciples (both the women and men) who had gathered in the upper room, were astonished when Jesus was suddenly present, and offered the words “Peace be with you..”  Thomas was more than surprised by the other disciples account, he was incredulous, and without his own witness he could not believe the others witness: the resurrected Christ was “alive.”

In our world today, there are many people standing as Thomas had stood, unbelieving.  The crowd of the world is asking as Thomas had done, to touch the wounds and place a hand in the piercing of Jesus’ side.  But the voices in our world use different words, and say instead, “God is not real at all.”

Responses to a recent blog by Arch Bishop Rowan Williams ( Williams ) accuse him and all churches of promulgating untruth and instead claim God and religion are for those that want power and control, and will even teach untruth to children to gain control.  Williams spoke however, answering a six year old girls question, and explains that the discovery of God, was not from human conception or manipulation, but rather God is “discovered” as God crosses the path’s of people’s lives

In my own experience, it is not that proof/fact/reason/theology makes one a believer; but rather one’s experience draws out our faith.  Believers are scientist, businessmen, doctors, physicists, librarians, priests/clergy, children, spouses, and disciples if we can take into account all of Thomas’ story. Fascinatingly unbelievers are the same list. Facts don’t change an unbeliever to a believer;  rather it is an open mind.  An open mind is not overruled by convenient and instant answers, but allows for possibilities, potential happenings, and things yet to be known as part of our full experience of humanity.

Thomas makes his own discovery.  Once again unannounced Jesus walks into the upper room.  This time however, Thomas is present, and is offered by the resurrected Jesus to touch the wounds of his hands and side.  Thomas seeing the risen Christ no longer needs his tactile senses for proof, but exclaims “My Lord and my God.”  Faith is not so much a “leap” into the unknown, but a “trust,” in what has become known as part of one’s own story.
Peace,
The Rev Lorrie Slaymaker+